Last updated 19 June 2018
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 25 and 26 April 2018 and was unannounced. A specialist nurse advisor, one inspector and an expert by experience inspected on 25 April 2018. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. The inspector returned to the service on 26 April 2018 to complete the inspection.

Before the inspection we looked at all the information we held about the service. This information included the statutory notifications that the service sent to the Care Quality Commission. A notification is information about important events that the service is required to send us by law. The provider had completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also contacted health and social care professionals involved in people’s support, and the local authority safeguarding team for their feedback about the service. We used this information to help inform our inspection planning.

During the inspection we spoke with seven people, eight relatives, 10 members of staff, the deputy manager, the new manager, and the regional manager. We also spent time observing the support provided to people in communal areas, during meal times, and medication round.

We looked at 14 people’s care records and 10 staff records. We also looked at records related to the management of the service such as the quality audits, administration of medicines, accidents and incidents reports, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisations, health and safety records, and the provider’s policies and procedures.